Historically, roast and ground coffee has been sold in one, two and three pound cans. One pound cans are considered the standard size. Coffee in a one pound can yields about 88 cups of brewed coffee. A one pound can has a volume of 1000 cc.
Fast roasting processes reduce the density of roasted coffee and increase its extraction yield. Using fast roasting techniques, the industry standard for roast and ground coffee has become a 13-ounce coffee that yields about 88 cups of brewed coffee but has the same dry volume as traditional 16-ounce coffee. This new conventional 13-ounce coffee is marketed in cans having the same dimensions as the traditional one pound cans.
The reduced density trend has been extended to 10.5- and 11.5-ounce coffee that has a dry volume and brew cup yield similar to 16-ounce coffee and 13-ounce coffee.
Fewer coffee beans are required to make reduced density coffee. The reduced density coffee provides a cost savings to coffee manufacturers and consumers. Consumers get an equal number of cups of coffee from fewer coffee beans which the manufacturer can afford to sell for less than conventional roast and ground coffee.
The density of roasted coffee beans and particulate coffee products is controlled by the roasting process. Reduced density coffee has increased extraction yields obtained by utilizing fast roasting processes. Higher density coffee, such as 16-ounce coffee, are obtained by utilizing slow roasting methods.
Reduced density coffee technology has several drawbacks. There are limits below which roast and ground coffee can be easily packaged for sale. Coffee beans can be "puffed up" only so far to fill a 1000 cc container with a given weight of coffee. It is unlikely, for example, that a 6-ounce coffee (i.e., 6-ounces of coffee filling a 1000 cc volume can) could be produced using existing reduced density technology.
Roasting conditions that are optimal for obtaining reduced density coffee are not necessarily optimal for flavor development.
It is highly desirable to have a means for obtaining a particular coffee density which does not rely exclusively upon roasting parameters to achieve the that density. A means is required to optimize density which is independent of roasting conditions.